Spring-wheel for vehicles.



C. G. SMITH.

SPRING WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION I'ILBD FEB.Z8, 1912. RENEWED 0GT.20.1913,

l, 1 05,932. Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

2 SEBETSSHEET 1.

Mhtmwaeo Q C Oymz'j.

THE NORRIS PETERS ($0., !'HOTULITH(L WASHINGTON. l) I C. G. SMITH.

SPRING WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED rmma, 1912. RENEWED 001'. 20, 1913.

1,105,932, Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

J3 wi ///l% 1 l 61 Hozuua THE NORRIS PETERS (0, PHO'I'U-LI'I'HO. WASHINGTON, I) C UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIGE.

GICERO Ga. SMITH,OF PALISADE, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR T0 SMITH SPRING?WI-IIElEIi COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

SPRING-WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Allg..4, 1914..

Application filed February 28, 1912, Serial No. 680,479. Renewed October 20, 1913. Serial No. 796,353.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GICERO Gr. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Palisade, county of Mesa, and State of 0010- rado, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Spring-Wheels for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spring Wheels for vehicles of the general constructionset forth in my previous application, Serial Number 651,662, filed Septemher 27, 1911. The construction is also similar to that set forth in a second. application,

Serial No. 680,480, filed February 28, 1912.

In this style of wheel, I employ circular springs interposedbetween a relatively large hub and the rim of the wheel, the said circular springs being embraced on opposite sides by spoke springs, which conform to the curvature of the circular springs for a distance somewhat greater than one-half the circumference of the circular springs in the plane of the rim, the outer extremities of both sets of springs beinganchored incontact with each other at the rim of the wheel,

the inner extremities of the spoke springs,

as well as the inner portions of the circular springs being secured to the hub of the wheel.

In my present improvement, the circular springs are each composed of two approximately semi-circular members, whose opposite extremities are respectively anchored in:

the hub and rim of the wheel. These semicircular members of each circular spring vary in thickness, thinnest mid-way between their extremities, and gradually increasing, in thickness to ward their extremities. By virtue of this construction, the wheels possess the necessary resilience with a light load; while when a heavy load. is on the vehicle, the spring extremities, or the portions of the spring members which are comparatively thick, are brought into requisition, thus making the wheels approximately equally resilient, whether used witha light or heavy load.

The spoke springs are also relatively thin the sprin members being:

intermediate their extremities, their relatively thin portions engaging the thin portions of their circular springs on the outside; and by virtue of this arrangement of the spoke and circular springs the latter are reinforced and supplemented in such a manner as to produce highly satisfactory results. From the relatively thin central portions of the spoke springs, the latter gradually increase in thickness toward both extremities.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved spring wheel. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the same, shown partly in section andflon a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a section. taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a section taken on the line M, Fig.2, but showing the adjusting plate in a different position. Fig. 5is a detail elevational view, partly in section, showing the circular springs in the adj ustment. indicated in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa detail perspective view of one extremity of a circular spring, and Fig. 7 is a detail side elevational view of the inner ends of apair of spoke springs inan adjustment the reverse of that shown in Fig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the hub, and 6 the rim of the wheel. This hub is. composed of a body member embraced on opposite sides by reinforcing plates, each composed of a number of members 8. These plates are secured to the body of the hub by bolts 9 and 11. The plate members S cmbrace the outer portion of the body of the hub, while integral disks 10 are centrally located, and also embrace the body member i '3.5 alsofprovided with centrallylocated open inserted and moved outwardly into a correspending position. The central portions of the inner extremities of the circular spring. 'mezrbers are cut away,-as shown at 22, to

p ermit 'the entrance of securing bolts 28 which'pass through the openings 15 and are threaded into the body, of the hub, as shown:

at'12t." 'If'it is"desired that the extremities '17 of the circular spring 'members shall maintain their position of. greatest separa- I n v I members gradually increase n thickness, to-

I tion, a separating slug, or plate, 25,. is introduced between the extremities 17 of the spring 'members,as shown in E ig. 2. However, shouldf'it be desired to contract the circular springs by bringing their outer extremities nearer together, these separating slugs may be removed from their separating position, and the extremities of the springs I p I K I I p I H springs are adjustable to some extent within their openings l l by means of'plates, or

pressed more, closely, together, in which event the slugs, or p1ates,'are'located out- :side the. spring extremities, as shown: in ,Flg. 4.

-The outer extremities 26of the circular spring members are approximately of the v spective extremities of each pa ir of adjacent same shape as their inner extremities, and are applied laterally to; openings 27 formed in. bosses 2'8 projectinginwardly on thezrim of the'wlieel'. TThese spring extremities are ings into which the opposite sides of securingbolts' 29. extend. lThe securing. bolts 23 and 29. are held in place by nuts 30, screwed upon the bolts into engagement withwashei's 31f Thesecuringbolts 29, are threaded into the rim of the wheel, entering threaded I claim is:

1. In a'spring wheel, comprising a hub and rim, circular springs interposed between openings. 32. F'rom th'e foregoing description it will be understood that even if the nuts should bedisengaged'from their bolts, the latter would" still maintain their positions for spring securing purposes. The circularspring members 18 are thinnest'mid-way between their extremities, as shown at 3L There is a central portion of each of'thes'e springmembers which is prac-.

tic ally of uniform thickness, being the thinnes t' portio n of the spring. From these rela- I tively thin portions 84 the 'circular spring ward'botl1 .'extremities, the rela'tivelythick inner extremities-ofthe springs beingdeslgnated 35, and their relatively thick outer extremities as 36'. These circular spring. are embraced 'on opposite sides by I spoke springs .37., whose central portions 38 are relatively (thin and embrace the relativelythin portions 3% of the circular spring .inember's." rom thesethin central portions 38 of the spoke springs the latter increase in thickness toward both extremities thereof.

spoke springs engage the ,circularflspring.

nie'mbe'rs from the outer extremities of the latter inwardly toward the hub for a dis tance somewhat greater than half the circumference offthei circular spring members,

the inner extremities of the spoke springs being angle shap'cLas shown "at 1O,- and inserted laterally in openings 41 of corre-.

sponding shape formed in the body member of the hub, wedges 42' being interposed bet-ween'the inner extremities 'ofeach pair. of

adjacent spoke springs. These wedges are locked in place radial displacement by means of bolts 43', while they are .prevented from lfterajlf displacement by the plate members'8f 2 The inner extremities 40 of the spoke slugs, 414 and These plates 44 maybe caused "to engage the spoke spring extremi- L ties on 'the1r"inner'surfafces, wh1le the parts,

orslugs, may be made to "engage the respokesprings. In. the one case,y'the extremities of the spoke springs are held outwardly from the center ofthe wheel,'.,while the.

other case, the same extremities are secured I at theiriinwardlimit of"movement. }This feature permits adjustability of the spoke springs within considerable range, andcompen'sates for slight possible. variation of CO1):

struction. Having-thus described my invention, what the hub and rim, each spring being composed ,of two members, the said members'havingf radially bent'extremities and ,the said huband .rim 'being"pi'ovided' with openings in.

which said extremities arev anchored, and means for regulating the tension of said cir cul a-r spring membersfco mprising.plates or slugs adapted to be employed to separate the said extremities or bring themlnearer' together. j f 5 Q 2. Ina spring wheel comprising a hub and rim, spring membersinterposed between the sald hub and run, said hub'having open ngs 1n which the lnner extremities of, said spring members are ancl1ored, .said inner extremir ties having-bentportions and plates or slugs adapted to be placed 'uponone" 01* the other side of said bent portions to regulate the tension of the spring members.

3. A. spring wheel for Vehicles comprising a rim,'a hub, circular springs interposed between the rim and hub and suitably anchored at diametrically opposite points, the said springs tapering from their extremities toward their central portions, which are re duced in thickness, and spoke springs embracing the circular springs on opposite sides, the said spoke springs having their extrernlties respectively anchored in the rim and hub, the spoke springs being thicker at their extremities and tapering toward their centralportions,which are thinnest, the thin portions of the spoke springs engaging the corresponding portions of the circular springs, substantially as described.

4. Aspring wheel for vehicles comprising a rim, a hub, circular springs interposed between the rim and hub, each spring being composed of two members, whose extremities are anchored in the rim and hub, the said spring members being thicker at their extremities and taperingtoward their central portions, which are relatively thin, and means applied to the inner extremities of the circular spring members for regulating their tension, comprising plates, or slugs, adapted to be employed to separate the said extremities, or bring them nearer together, substantially as described. a t

5. Aspring wheel for vehicles comprising a hub, arim, circular springs interposed between the hub and rim, each sprlng being composed of two members, the said members havingangle-shaped extremities, and the hub and rim being provided with openings in which said extremities are anchored, the said extremities beingprovided with central openings, securing bolts threaded into the rim and hub respectively, passing between the said extremities, their opposite sides being adapted to extend through the said openings in the extremities of the spring members, the said extremities being adjustable toward and away from each other, for the purpose of regulating their tension, and means for maintaining the spring extremities in the adjusted position, substantially as described.

6. A spring wheel for vehicles comprising a hub, a rim, the hub and rim having openings, circular springs interposed between the hub and rim, each spring being composed of two semi-circular members, whose extremities are anchored in the said openings, securing bolts placed between the extremities of the spring members, and threaded into the hub and rim, nuts and washers applied to the extremities of the bolts which extend into the space surrounded by the cir-. cular springs, the circular spring members having relatively thin portions intermediate their extremities, and spoke springs, whose tions of the circular spring members, and

means .for regulating the tension of the Spoke springs, substantlally as described.

7. Aspring wheel for vehicles comprising tween the rim and the hub, each of said springs being composed of two semi-circular members whose opposite extremities are hook-shaped, and located in counterpart recesses formed in the rim and hub respectively, the said extremities of the spring members being perforated, and securingbolts inserted in the rim and hub respectively, passing between the hook-shaped extremitiesof the spring members and engaging the said perforations, substantially as described.

8. A spring wheel for vehicles comprising a rim, a hub, circular springs interposed between the rim and hub, each of said springsv being composed of two semi-circular mem- 175 a rim, a hub, circular springs interposed bea bers, the extremities of the spring members a being hook-shaped and engaging counterpart recesses formed in the rim and. hub, securing bolts applied to the rim and hub passing between and engaging the extremities of the spring members for securing purposes, one set of extremities of the spring members being reinforced by engaging members adapted to be placed upon either side of the spring members for regulating the tension of the circular springs.

9. A spring wheel for vehicles, comprising a hub, circular springs interposed between the rim and the hub, each spring being composed of two semi-circular members whose extremities are anchored in the hub and rim, and spoke springs curved throughout a portion of their lengths adjacent their outer extremities concentrically with said circular springs, the curved portions of said spoke springs bearing upon and embracing said CIGERO G. SMITH.

Witnesses FRED. W. SLo'r'r, HAvnLocn J. Non'rrmronn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner. of Patents;

Washingtomfl. B." 

